In Case of Laptop Loss, Encrypt and Back Up Your Data

Despite all the chatter about our currently being in a post-PC world where smartphones and tablets rule, businesses still rely heavily on computers—especially laptops. They are portable and let employees keep working even when on the road.

On the other hand, a lost laptop is an IT horror story. If certain security steps aren't taken beforehand, that same laptop that boosted employee productivity could also result in data loss. In some cases, the business could face hefty penalties for not securing the data. The loss could adversely impact operations, as well.

A review of recent—from the past 18 months—data breaches show there are a few things the IT administrator at a small business can do to protect laptops. SMBs should be using encryption and properly backing up these devices, suggests Jaspreet Singh, CEO of Druva.

An Encryption Horror StoryIt's very likely that you have more than just your personal collection of music, movies, and photos on the laptop. If there are work-related files, losing this laptop turns into a nightmare for someone else.

For example, a laptop belonging to the sheriff's office in the Seattle area was stolen out of an undercover detective's truck earlier this year. The laptop contained information such as Social Security Numbers and driver's license numbers for about 2,300 individuals. The laptop also contained individual case files containing personal information about crime victims, suspects, witnesses, and police officers. The sheriff's office had been in the process of encrypting all machines, but was only 60 percent complete with the project when the theft occurred, according to news reports.

"Data exposure could have been prevented if the data on the laptop had been encrypted," Singh says.

If the sheriff's office had implemented device management, then it could have used security features such as remote wipe to automatically erase the data on the laptop as soon as it was turned on and came online, Singh says.

The Scary Tale of No BackupsDespite repeated warnings, many people still neglect backing up their laptops. Consider the sorry tale of an Oklahoma University researcher whose laptop containing years of research on prostate cancer was stolen from her car in 2011. Or the case of a British DJ who lost an entire year's worth of projects when his laptop was stolen.

Perhaps an employee maliciously erases data from the laptop. Maybe it was in retaliation for being fired or some disciplinary action, or for an entirely different reason. Regardless, if the data was not being backed up regularly, this act can wind up being detrimental to the company.

If these laptops had been backed up, each of the victims could have restored the information and gone straight back to work, Singh says. If the data is backed up to a secure location, then the theft or loss of the laptop doesn't have to be irreparable.

Frighteningly PossibleSingh points out that an average of 12,000 laptops are lost at U.S. airports every week. Many of these devices languish in the TSA's lost and found facilities. After 30 days, all unclaimed devices are auctioned off.

Consider what the new owner sees when the laptop is turned on: all the data belonging to the previous owner, all intact. Considering the kind of information that may be on these files, this case of a lost laptop could result in a serious data breach for the original laptop owner's company.

If the data was encrypted, the new owner would not be able to access the information, and avert a data breach, Singh says. If the data was backed up, the original owner could just restore the data on to a new machine and resume work.

Singh recommends using remote wipe and geo-tracking tools to help find lost devices and to erase the data if the machine cannot be reclaimed.

Make sure the next time your laptop is stolen or lost, that you don't become an IT horror story. Encrypt your data and back up often. We recommend checking out our Editor's Choice LoJack for Laptops by Absolute Software.

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